Chapter 114: Christmas in East Africa
While Europe and America basked in the festive atmosphere of Christmas, the East African colonial government also planned its own celebrations.
As part of East Africa's Germanization policy, all residents were required to participate. Of course, in an era lacking entertainment, people were more than happy to join the fun.
For European immigrants, Christmas in East Africa felt novel. There was no winter—just a warm climate similar to a European summer. It gave the odd sensation of celebrating Christmas in the heat.
As for Chinese immigrants, they had never even seen a Christmas before. The Paraguayans, however, felt quite at home, since their country shared a similar latitude and climate. Paraguay's average yearly temperature exceeds 10°C, with elevations between 300–600 meters. The north belongs to the Brazilian Plateau, and the south is part of the La Plata Plain.
In particular, northern Paraguay shares East Africa's tropical savannah climate. Thus, the Paraguayans adapted quickly, and although most were women and children, they suffered the fewest losses in East Africa.
European and Paraguayan immigrants had a clear understanding of how to celebrate Christmas. Chinese immigrants, on the other hand, had very little knowledge.
Those who arrived last year had some experience, but newcomers had never seen anything like it. To encourage participation and avoid misunderstandings (since Christmas is a religious holiday with many rules and taboos), the East African government dispatched many instructors—mainly teachers—to explain the meaning and customs of the holiday to Chinese immigrants.
This year's Christmas became an unforgettable day for the Chinese. Not only did the colonial government walk them through every step, but it was also their first exposure to the religious fervor of some Westerners.
Participation was mandatory—not just for Chinese immigrants but also for certain Serbs, who had different understandings of Christmas. It wasn't that they didn't celebrate it, but because the Orthodox Church follows a different calendar than the Catholic Church, leading to differences in dates.
But in East Africa, there were no churches to dictate such matters—interpretation of the holiday belonged solely to the colonial government.
Ordinary people couldn't possibly understand religion as deeply as a priest, and with the Roman Church steadily losing influence, more and more authority had fallen to individual states.
As long as the East African government didn't force immigrants to abandon their faiths (whether Catholic or Orthodox), but only made slight adjustments, most Europeans could accept it.
The clearest example was the Chinese. The government only asked them to participate in the festivities, not to convert.
This was East Africa's version of religious freedom. Christmas was a legally mandated holiday, and everyone was required to join in.
To push Germanization, the government used festivals like this to promote German culture. On the morning of Christmas, the East African colony held parades and performances…
Although Christmas wasn't unique to Germany—it was celebrated across the West—it became an important channel for Chinese immigrants to experience and learn Western culture.
Just like the immigration plan itself, mandatory participation in Christmas and other Western holidays would be enforced until 1880. By then, momentum alone would keep many Chinese celebrating, especially those who had received German cultural education.
Eventually, all immigrants would be unified in their holiday customs—a form of cultural integration.
Beyond holidays, elements like language, clothing, architecture, and daily habits were all enforced to align with German culture. These policies reshaped not only Chinese traditions, but those of every East African resident.
And it wasn't purely Germanic. Ernst incorporated aspects of modern life into the colonial lifestyle, such as hygiene and civility, improving on German traditions while eliminating outdated customs.
So East African "Germanic culture" was a refined version, distinct from Europe.
Higher-level cultural elements like German poetry, books, and music were still out of reach for East Africa's largely illiterate population. Perhaps when education became widespread, these could be introduced.
…
But words only go so far—what really made Christmas meaningful was material generosity.
To mark the occasion, the colonial government distributed rare supplies: all kinds of meats, double rations of flour and rice, sugar, and fruit—every household received something.
Even the single men in communal canteens had special meals prepared.
For immigrants, eating well was more satisfying than parades or performances.
At night, after dinner, darkness fell—Christmas in East Africa came to a close.
There were no Christmas trees, no candlelit vigils, no gifts.
This was East Africa's Christmas: lacking materials, lacking facilities.
Even candles were reserved for government offices.
In pitch-black darkness, it was better to go to bed early.
And with Europe so far away, many European immigrants felt less emotional attachment to the holiday.
It was normal. In a new environment, people adapt.
Before coming to East Africa, European immigrants had been deeply rooted in religious traditions.
Churches were the foundation of community life.
But in East Africa, surrounded by people of all colors, faiths, and even non-believers, they quickly realized: everyone still worked to survive—nothing really changed.
Over time, the reverence they once held for traditional culture began to fade.
That's what happens when people see the bigger picture.
Whether good or bad, such influence was mutual.
Europeans grew less religious.
Chinese immigrants, exposed to the vibrant spirits of Westerners, were likewise influenced.
Thus, cultural assimilation was happening at all times.
The key was hierarchy—as long as one culture was dominant and recognized as superior by both sides.
In East Africa, that dominant culture was clearly German.
The Germans believed their way of life was superior, and the other immigrants instinctively accepted it.
Especially for groups like the Serbs—stateless and long living under Germanic nobility—they welcomed the chance to become part of the new order.
Now the government was offering them the chance to become German—of course they seized it. (Africans: ?)
Admiring strength was human nature.
German immigrants were backed by Austria-Hungary and Prussia—military and industrial giants.
And since the East African colony was also ruled by Germans (Ernst), their prestige carried over.
But if German settlers were given too much privilege, others would resent it.
So why not make everyone German?
Problem solved.
That's East Africa's grand strategy: open assimilation.
Let everyone willingly be assimilated.
(Black Africans: (▼皿▼#) "How about giving me a chance?")
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